Art in Urban Space Arts Foundation Award Shortlist 2016 Announced

Art in Urban Space, is part of a series of awards from the Arts Foundation that opened with ‘Art in the Elements’ in 2015. The 2016 fellowship considers artists creating objects, installations or interventions which enrich the texture and visual experience of our urban spaces. 2017 will explore artists working with ‘Art in Architecture.

The four artists have been shortlisted for the £10,000 award, supported by the Yoma Sasburg Estate. They were selected from a longlist of UK based artists nominated by experienced artists, academics and curators. The judging panel comprised of artist Jeremy Deller, Michaela Crimmin, curator and co-founder/director of Culture and Conflict and Sally Tallant, director of Liverpool Biennial.

The shortlist demonstrates both an eclectic and visionary interpretation of the category with all of the artists having worked extensively in the public domain. Recent works include: Bobby Niven’s ‘Bothy Project’ whereby he has created perfectly realised spaces for other artists to work and live in; Aaron Williamson’s anarchic performance art often displays a politicised and progressive sensibility towards disability and is typically presented to an unsuspecting public as with his current ‘Demonstrating the World’ mobile stage set; Ruth Ewan explores how the past connects to the present, with her recent creation of the French Republican Calendar allowing a beautifully constructed reframing of our daily lives; Henry Coleman pushes the boundaries and subverts the norm by creating very public, sculptural artworks in the heart of the city, including the 2015 Royal Academy installation ‘A Greater Order’, that both question and confound. For further information see http://www.artsfoundation.co.uk/winners-and-shortlist/2016

The £10,000 award is not a commission but to be used to pay for living and working expenses, allowing the artist, who has to show a track record in the art form, breathing space in order to further their practice. Over the past 23 years the Foundation has given over £1.6m to support artists from all areas of the arts. Previous fine art recipients include Lynette Yiadom-Boake, Hannah Starkey, Simon Fujiwara, David Harrison and Alex Hartley.

The recipient of the award will be announced on the Thursday 28th January in London at the Arts Foundation Awards 2016 when £78,000 of awards will be announced across the Arts. Other categories for 2016: Children’s Theatre, Materials Innovation, Literary Translation, Producers of Live Music and Jewellery Design.